Dry cell



5 9 H. DE OLANETA DRY CELL Filed Aug. 18. 1920 Patented 5, 1927. y :uNirri-:D STA "I'ESl nanou) DE'QLANETA, oFNEw HAVEN, coNNEc'rIcUr, AssrcNon rro 'wINcHEsTEn anrm'rnie Aims COMPANY, or NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

L l l This invention relates to galvanic cells and more particularly to that type of thesanie known as dry cells. In dry cells of the type now found on the market, it is usual for the zinc cup whic l'oi'nis one pole, lor electrode of the cell, to contain the exciting paste, and the depolarizing cartridge which has embedded therein the carbon pencil which forms the second pole of the cell. `This carbon pencil is usually providedv at the top with a metallic contact member. It. is apparent that 1f such a cell is used in damp place or in a position where it is exposed torain or to water which may be splashed thereon, as for 1nstance when used in a motor boat or Vthe like, a film of water is apt to gather on the top of the cell surrounding the metallic contact member .and extending out to the zinc cup which forms the other pole of the cell. The cell will in this manner be short-cir- I cuited, which, it will be plain, will rob the cell of its power ad shorten its life. This invention relates t the provision of a cell in which these def cts will have been overcome. i

One object of this invention is to provide a water-proof cell.

A second object of this invention is to provide a cell which i not subject to short -circuiting in the mapner described: o

A further object of the invention is to provide a cell of the type described with a container which will be insulated from the zinc cup of the cell. y

DRY (2Enl).`

Application led August 18, 1920. Serial No. 404,381.

cup 1, which contains the carbon'pencil 2, which in turn is embedded in a depolarizing cartrid e 3, contained in the cup and'surrounde' by the paste 4. The cartridge 3 is usually contained in a bag of cheese cloth or. the like 5, which lies between the car-v tridge and the paste 4. The `paste 4, as shown, surrounds the cartridge 3 and lies' between it and the zinc cup 1. The carbon pencil 2 is provided at its upper end with a metallic cap 6, upon which is soldered or secured in any desired manner a contactmember 7. It is usual to provide a cell of this 'kind with a seal, at the top, of wax or pitch material, or .a seal in the form of a preformed plug of some insulating material, which will prevent the loss of the contents of the cup and will also serve to insulate the metallic cap from the cup. The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in. the drawings, however, is not provided with such a seal, which is separate from the seal of the outside container, which is to be hereinafter described. This, however, is not an essential feature of the invention, andif desired, the usual seal of the zinc cup maybe provided.

To the zinc cup 1 is soldered or secured in any desired manner a contact Wire 8, which is insulated by a covering 9, and provided at its outer end with a contact membe 10.` The cell with this contact wire applied is then slipped into a casing or covering of paraliined paper or other insulating material 11, which is in the shape of a With these and otl ler objects in view, the/cylindrical c and is provided with a bot- 'invention consists in henovel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accom anying drawings: Fig. 1 is an e evational view of a which embodies my inyention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan 'view of the saine. Fig. 3 is an enlargedlsectional view of the dry cell t upper portion ,of the cell.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the cell proper, thecase of insulating material and the container in extended positions.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. 4 looking in the dirtiction of thev arrows.

The dry cell to whicn lmy invention is applied ;nay be made in any of the usual met ods and constructed in any of the usual forms. In the drawin s, I have shown a usual form of such cell insisting of the zinc tended and bent over the top of the zinccup just enoulgh so that the top edge of the cup will be covered by the paper.

The cell with its paper covering is then slipped into an outer container 13 which is inthe forni of a. cylindrical can of, any suitable metallic material, which it is Seen will be entirelyinsulated from the zinc cup by l .lll

the paper covering. It is not, of course, essential that the outside container 13 be made of metal, as it may be made of any desired material which can be formed into the desired shape and which is economical to manufacture. It is moreover not essential that the casi-ng 11 be made of paper for- 1t may be made of any proper material which will insulate the zinc cup from the container 13. A seal of wax or of a pitch substance 14 or the like is now poured into the top of the outer container, and as shown in Fig. 3, will act as a seal for the cell and will extend up to the top of the container 13.

As shown in Fig. 3, the zinc cup, the case of insulating material and the container are all formed to fit each other snugly, so that there. will be no looseness or play between the same and so that the pitch Seal will not How down between them. As shown in this figure, the seal will iiow down upon the turned edge 12 of the case of insulating ma tei-ial and will hold it in the position shown. It will beappareiit that as shown in Fig. 2, the contact members 7 and 10 w1ll be the only exposed poles of the cell, the zinc cup having been entirely insulated from the atmosphere and from the surrounding container.

It will be apparent that a cell enclosed in a container in this manner will not be subject to short-circuiting by the two poles being connected by aiilm or body of water as previously described, and for this reason such a cell is particularly 'adapted for use in an automobile where it might be exposed to rain, or in a motor boat where there is danger of water splashing on or covering the same. Moreover, it is also desirable for use in adamp place where a film of water is likely to form on the top ofthe cell and connect the zinc cup with the carbon pencil or the contact member thereon.

The zinc cup may, as stated, be covered with. any suitable material to insulate it from the outer container, and such a result might be achieved in various ways, such as coating the cup with a paint of asphaltum' or similar material. The contact wire 8 may be soldered or secured to makean electrical connection with the zinc cup 1 in any desired way.

In some modifications of this invention it will be necessary to use but one container to surround the zinc cup of the cell. This will be the case when the zinc cup will be covered with a coat of asphaltiim paint or like material, or when the outside container is itself made of an insulating material, and the cell, including the zinc cup, may be slipped therein and sealed as shown and described above. In the latter construction, the outer container may be made of hard rubber or of other insulating material, and

it will be apparent'that a water-proof` cell would be formed, which would be very similar to the one described, wherein the outer container is made of conducting material and is separted from the -'zinc cup by an insulating material.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not intend to be limited to the exact details shown, as various changes and modifications might be made in the parts shown which .will lie 'within the spirit of the invention and within container and hold the insulating wrapper,

iii place.

2. In combination, a dry cell including a containing cup of conducting material, an outer container; and an intermediate casing between said cup and outer container, said intermediate casing bein formed of insulating material and having its upper and lower ends folded over the upper and lower edges ofthe dry cell cup, and a seal for the cup and container, the upper folded edge of the casing being embedded in said seal.

3. In combination, a dry cell including a containing cup of conducting material, a cylindrical casing of insulating material embracing said cup and having its lower end folded over the bottom of the cup to completely cover the same, and its upper edge turned inwardly over the upper edge of the cup, an outer cup-shaped container in which the cell is placed, the wall of said container extending upwardly above the wall of the cup, and a seal for the cellplaced directly upon the contents thereof and filling the upper portion of the cup and also {illin the container above said cup, the upper fo ded edge of the insulating casing being imbedded in said seal so as to be held in place.

4., In combination, a dry cell including a containing cup of conducting material, a

cylindrical casing of insulating material emfio bracing said cup and havin its lower end folded over the bottom of t e cup to completely cover the same, and its upper edge turned inwardly over thel upper edge of the cup, an outer cup-shaped 'container in which the cell is placed, the wall of said container extending upwardly above the wall of the cup, and a seal for the cell placed directly l upon the contents thereof and filling the u per portionof the cup and also filling t e container'above said cup, the upper folded edge of the insulating casing being imbedded insaid seal so as to be held in place, and an insulated conductor secured tothe cup leading outwardly through said seal and imbedded therein.

5. A dry cell comprising a pair of open mouthed, cup shaped containers of conducting material one disposed within the other, a cup shaped casing of insulating ma terial, between said containers, the inner container containing dry cell elements, including an excitin paste, depolarizing material and electro e pencil, said insu ating lcasing having its wall, at the ,upper portion thereof, turned over the upper edge of the inner container, and a sealing substance tilling said inner container above the level of the paste, also filling the unoccupied space in the outer container and holding the folded edge of the insulating casing in position.

In witness whereof, I havehereunto set my hand on this 31 day of July, 1920.

` HAROLD DE OLANETA. 

